Combined tobacco article package and ash disposal unit



H. E. BUTLER 3,064,799

COMBINED TOBACCO ARTICLE PACKAGE AND ASH DISPOSAL UNIT Nov. 20, 1962 Filed July 14, 1959 This invention relates to a combined tobacco article package and ash disposal unit and, more particularly, to a package for cigars, cigarettes and the like having integral therewith an ash and/or stub disposal unit in the form of a metal foil lined pocket opened and closed at will.

It is a common occurrence that a smoker, in many instances whether in a home or other building or in a vehicle, finds that no ash trays are available and once having commenced smoking will need question the whereabouts of an ash tray or seek various substitutes in an attempt not to spill ashes on otherwise cleaned surfaces. Such instances and occurrences are exceptionally commom and numerous. It is, therefore, desirable to have portable ash receivers carried about on the person, but the separability of the tobacco package and ash receiver leaves much to de desired. Alternately, however, such an ash receiver may be attached to the package but the problems associated with this practice are also numerous in that the expense of packaging is generally kept to a minimum, and such practices increase the cost of the package to a great degree in the extra material required and the extra machine or hand operations necessary to affix the receptacle to a package. A most important deterrent to this solution is the change in configuration of an otherwise general standardized package. Such afiixation presents other problems in assembling the package in cartons, and the like, or the problem of awkwar packages being employed in various vending machines. Other changes relate to the identifying features or trademarks on the external wrapper of cigarette packages. A companys advertising mark is extremely important and great reluctance is shown to any alteration, change, or a covering of the trademark, or to the attachment of receptacles to a cigarette package which if removed also remove a part of or all of the distinguishing features or trademarks.

It is thus an object of my invention to provide an improved combined cigarette package and ash disposal unit.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combined cigarette package and ash disposal unit whereby the outer configuration of an existing package remains substantially the same.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a combined cigarette package and ash disposal unit where the trademark or other distinguishing feature of the package is not changed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a combined cigarette package and foil lined ash disposal unit whereby only a minimum of extra material is necessary.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combined cigarette package and foil lined ash disposal unit whereby extra assembling operations and cost are main tained at a minimum.

Briefly described, this invention in one form includes an extension of the foil, or foil-covered paper used in cigarette packaging, in the form of an accordian or pleated pocket on the side of a cigarette package. This pocket is outlined by dotted perforations or tear tabs which operate to open the pocket and expose a foil-lined ash or stub disposal unit.

This invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the following description and figures in which rates Parent 3,@fi4,7% Patented Nov. 20, 1952 FIG. 1 illustrates a foil-covered paper Wrapper in open form.

FIG. 2 illustrates the foil-covered paper of FIG. 1 folded to show the pocket form.

FIG. 3 illustrates the foil-covered paper of FIGS. 1 and 2 in folded form.

FIG. 4 illustrates a complete cigarette package including the outer print wrapper and the covering transparent wrapper.

FIG. 5 illustrates in partial section a modification showing a tear tab for opening the pocket.

FIG. 6 illustrates a finished and completed cigarette package with the pocket in operative position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a foil, foil-covered paper or other wrapper which is generally adjacent the tobacco articles such as cigars and cigarettes, is shown by the numeral 1. The heavy outlined lines indicate the lines of folding of the wrapper to fold into a rectangular package, to wrap, cover, or enclose tobacco articles, the manipulation or folding of which is well understood by those skilled in the art. The rectangular wrapper 1 includes four transverse inward fold lines 2, 2, 3 and 3' and a pair of spaced longitudinal inward fold lines 4 and 4' which define a pair of end panels 5 and 5 and a pair of side panels 6 and 6. However, the transverse outward vertical fold line 11 represents a dividing line from what constitutes a former wrapper and the wrapper of this invention. The wrapper material 12 to the right of line 11 is an example of the general configuration of most well known cigarette wrappers, and the added wrapper material extension 13 to the left of the line 11 is the wrapper material necessary to incorporate the pocket of this invention as a one piece wrapper, although wrapper material 13 could be separate and suitably attached to the original wrapper 12.

in one form of this invention, a pair of opposed slits 14 and 1 2" are provided in wrapper 1 at the ends of line 11 coincident therewith and along line 11, and leading inwardly from the outer ends of extension 13. These slits 14 and 14' free sections 15 and 15. Sections 15 and 15' each have a pair of oppositely folding longitudinal fold lines, 16 and 16' and 17 and 17', at each end of extension 13 which join slits l4 and 14 to form accordian pleats 18 and 18 for the sides of a pocket 19 as illustrated in FlG. 2. More pleats may be employed if desirable within the confines of the overall rectangular or other shape of a given package, or additional lengths of wrapper or sections may be utilized in sections 15 and 15 for more pleats, whether extending vertically at the sides of pocket 19 and/ or additionally at the bottom of pocket 19 which will be line 11 of FlG. 1. In a preferred form of this invention as illustrated in FIG. 1, it is understood that the invention includes only a minimum of additional foil or foil-covered wrapper, and that the addition is advantageous in being generally of geometrical or rectangular configuration as an extension of the original. It is contemplated that this permits the invention to be incorporated in a standard wrapper cutting machine as presently utilized, the incorporation being merely a short extension of the cut-off point. The wrapper of FIG. 1, as illustrated by that part of the wrapper material 12 to the right of line 11, is folded into the well known and standard rectangular configuration to contain cigarettes, cigars and the like.

In FIG. 2, numeral 21) represents the wrapper 10 of FIG. l'folded in a rectangular parallelepiped configuration to contain cigars, cigarettes and the like smoking implements with an exterior pocket 19 folded from the portion 13 of the wrapper 1, in FIG. 1, to the left of line 11. Section 13 is folded back on side panel 6' so that pocket 19 is on the outside of the wrapper configuration. Sections 15 and 15 are illustrated as forming accordian folds orpleats18 audit? to provide opening means for pocket 19. The inner surface 21 of the outermost pleat or the mating surface 22 of package 24) are joined by various suitable and well known'attachingmeans including, for example, staples, folds and slots, or an adhesive coating 23 on surface zzannou-ga such an adhesive may be equally applied to surface 21. It is understood that pleats 18 and 13 may 'befolde'd in 'such a manner to provide larger or smaller sections 15 and 15' 'or to change the configuration of the pocket in various ways.

The final form of the wrapper 1 of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FlG. 3 where pocket 19 is shown in the closed or flush position. It is noted here that the change 'in the normal smooth rectangular configuration of a cigarette package, for example, is 'quite'negligible. It is also to'be noted that whefe'wrapperl of FIG. 1 is'foil covered paper pocket 19 is folded in such a manner that the total inner surface of the pocket is foil lined. This then becomes in one instance a safety feature preventing burn through of pocket 19 due to hot ashes deposited therein or for snuffing of a finished and still burning cigarette. Additionally, the foil lining being a good conductor of heat facilitates, the snulrlng of a cigarette to a surprising degree without any crushing.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the final configuration of FIG. 3 is covered with a printed or outer wrapper 2'4 generally bearing the distinguishing marks or features of the particular brand of cigarettes, and thereafter generally covered with an external transparent wrapperii The final wrapped package as illustrated in FlG. 4 shows pocket 19 concealed. Therefore, the distinguishing marks or features remain as in former packaging with little or no changes. 7 V

In order to facilitate opening of pocket 19, a suitable perforated line or outline Ze is provided in the printed wrapper 24 to outline pocket 19. Pocket 19, together with its perforated outline 26' may be suitably dimensioned to the distinguishing mark by being smaller than the mark to include only apart'thereof, or may include the total .mark and encompass one side of the package. Perforated line 26 also includes means 27 to initiate the opening of pocket 19. In FIG. 4, means 27 is illustrated in one form as a curved slit- 28 defining a tab 29. Bending tab 29 away from package 21 and pulling outwardly tears the perforated line 26 to; open pocket 19. Part 29 may also indicate a removed portion of printed wrapper 23 thus facilitating insertion of a fingernail to commence tearing of theperforations of line 26. Alternately, all that may .bedesired is a slit 30. Other forms of paper tearing in cluding tear strips may also be employed and be within the scope of this invention.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is illustrated in partial .section a well known tear'strip in the form of a long and narrow strip 31 adjacent a surface 32, for example, paper where strip 31 is usually a stronger material than paper. .Graspingtear strip 31 at one end and pulling generally perpendicularly to the surface 32 results'in a smooth tearing-of surface 32. Tear strips, beingof such widespread use, are;in no need of more specific description at this time. It is contemplated, however, that the tear strip may. beapplied 'invarious desired positions, for example, to tear only the printed wrapper, to tear both the transparent andprinted wrapper, and to open only part of the outlined pocket. It is further contemplated that where the package illustrated in FIG. 4 is wrapped in a transparent outer cover, the tear tab 33 usually employed to open the package may be suitably extended to include -the opening of the side pocket or opening of the transparent cover only along the pocket. In such instances, it .may be desired to have the-pocket outlined only by a few long individual perforations or being outlined by a slit only since the transparent wrapper may only hold the .pocketin' closed position.

While the described invention has been directed to a pocket disposed about the longer axis of a rectangular 4 cigarette package, the pocket could-also be provided in various positions on the package including being opened when the package is in an upright position. One preferred position of the pocket of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a package of cigarettes embodying one preferred form of my invention. Pocket 19 is in operative position, being at the exterior of the package, and having been opened by any of the various means described. The transparent wrapper 25- has been in this instance, removed and cigarettes 34 are exposed. It may be desirable in some instances to have rectangular pieces of stiff material, for example, cardboard pieces 35, inserted in the package 249, between the printed wrapper 24 and the foil wrapper 10 which maybe pulled partially outward for better balance of the package 2%. The angle of pocket 19 in the open position with respect to package 29 is an aid in snuffing a cigarette, for example, since this angle closely confines a lighted cigarette stub thus exposing a large area of high'heat conductivity metal foil to the burning stub with the result that the stub is quickly snuffed. A further feature of this pocket is that it is a desirable place to store, keep or have'a packet of 'matches, since it is well known that matches are often difficult to keep with a cigarette package and at times much searching through pockets of clothing, etc., is necessary. By means of this pocket, matches are kept with a cigarette or tobacco article package minimizing separation and loss. The invention as described is more applicable to flexible material packaging, for example, to paper, cardboard, plastic and the like easily flexible packaging materials rather than to metal packages such as cans. The packet, however, may be of a thin metal suitably attached to an existing package to be folded in aclosed or open position at will in the same manner as the integral preferred form of pocket heretofore described.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention, I do not desire this invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described, ash is intended by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A combined tobacco article package and ash andstub disposal unit comprising in combination,-a wrapper about and next adjacent said tobacco articles, said wrapper being of sufficient dimensions to wrap said tobacco articles in a predetermined configuration package, said wrapper having a fold line adjacent an end of said predetermined configuration to define an extension of said wrapper, saidextension having a pair of opposed slits along said fold line, said extension having additional oppositely folding lines transverse to said fold line and said slits to define spaced apart pleats, said fold line adapting said extension to be folded adjacent said predetermined configuration package,

attaching means attaching said pleats to said wrapper so that a pocket is defined which is opened and closed by means of said pleats, and lying substantially flat against said wrapper, an outer wrapper about said pocket and said wrapper, and means in said outer wrapper to provide entry to said pocket so that said pocket may be opened and closed at will.

2. A combined tobacco article package and ash and stub disposal unit comprising in combination, a foil wrapper next adjacent said tobacco articles, said wrapper being of sufficient dimensions to wrap said tobacco articles in a predetermined configuration, said wrapper having an outward fold line adjacent the end of said predetermined configuration to define a rectangular extension of said wrapper, said fold line having a slit leading inwardly from each end thereof along said fold line, said extension having spaced apart pairs of oppositely folding lines leading to said slits and'defining pleats at opposed ends of said extension, said fold line adapting said extension for folding back on said predetermined configuration in foil to foil relationship, said spaced apart oppositely folding lines together with said slits defining pleats, attaching means attaching said pleats to said predetermined configuration to define a foil lined pocket opened and closed by means of said pleats and to lie substantially flush with said foil Wrapper in the closed position, an outer wrapper about said package and said pocket, and means in said outer wrapper to provide entry to said pocket so that said pocket may be opened and closed at will.

3. A cigar or cigarette article packing having an ash and stub disposal unit combined therewith comprising in combination, a foil wrapper next adjacent said articles, said wrapper being of sufiicient dimensions to wrap said articles in a rectangular configuration including a pair of side panels and a pair of end panels with the said foil on the outside thereof, one of said side panels including an outward fold line defining an extension of said side panel, said outward fold line including a pair of spaced apart slits coincident with and along the said outward fold line, each of said slits leading inwardly from one edge of said extension, said extension having a pair of oppositely folding lines leading from another edge of said extension to each of said slits so that said slits and said oppositely folding lines leading thereto define pleats, said outward fold line adapting said extension to be folded back on said one of said side panels with the foil on the interior, attaching means attaching said pleats to said one of said side panels with the foil on the interior thereof to define a foil lined pocket, said pocket being characterized by being substantially flush with said wrapper in the closed position, an outer wrapper about said pocket and said package, an external transparent wrapper about said outer wrapper, and means in said outer wrapper to provide entry to said pocket for ash disposal and so that said pocket may be opened and closed at will.

4. A foil covered wrapper for tobacco article packages, said wrapper consisting of:

(a) rectangular sheet having a foil cover on one side thereof,

(b) said sheet having four parallel transverse inward fold lines defining a pair of end panels and a pair of side panels,

(c) said sheet having a pair of spaced longitudinal inward fold lines defining top and bottom panels, (at) one of of said side panels having a further transverse outward fold line defining an extension of said side panel,

(e) said further fold line including a pair of opposite slits coincident with and along said further fold line leading inwardly from the outer ends thereof,

(f) said extension having a pair of oppositely folding longitudinal lines at each end of said extension and joining said slits so that said slits and said oppositely folding longitudinal lines define pleats,

(g) said four transverse inward fold lines and said pair of longitudinal fold lines adapting said sheet to be folded into a rectangular parallelpiped configuration with the foil cover on the outside thereof,

(12) said further transverse outward fold line adapting said extension to be folded back on said one of said side panels in foil to foil realtionship,

(i) said slits and said pairs of oppositely longitudinal fold lines therein defining pleats for said extension, (j) and attaching means joining said pleats to said extension to provide a foil lined pocket adapted for opening and closing against said one of said side panels by means of said pleats.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,132 Hodgson Sept. 7, 1926 1,722,465 Gray July 30, 1929 1,970,878 Anderson Aug. 21, 1934 2,260,137 Donnelly Oct. 21, 1941 2,295,110 Harkleroad Sept. 8, 1942 2,349,488 Dement May 23, 1944 2,462,160 Bryan Feb. 22, 1949 2,736,484 Vines Feb. 28, 1956 2,811,247 Stevenson Oct. 29, 1957 2,849,154 Gartrell et a1 Aug. 26, 1958 2,944,555 Peel July 12, 1960 

